Vaccination Injury in Allentown, PA
Do you know how many petitions for vaccination injuries receive compensation?
According to the HRSA, over 7,000 cases worked out settlements from 2006 to 2021. Even more notable is that this statistic only represents vaccines covered by federal law.
Patients in Allentown deserve and should expect vaccinations to be safe. But, when something goes wrong, there are several options for compensation. Once you learn what choices you have from this guide, we can connect you with an attorney that will help you get what you want.
What Is a Vaccination Injury?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports vaccines contain a weakened or dead version of a disease. After injection, the body develops antibodies to specific illnesses. Effectively, this makes the recipient immune from the disease.
Most people who receive vaccines have a successful immunity boost for many illnesses. While vaccines may contain the disease, some recipients develop health problems. A qualified Allentown, Pennsylvania vaccination injury lawyer can help determine if you have a claim.
It can be onerous to determine how many individuals suffer harm from vaccines annually in Allentown. Furthermore, linking a vaccine injury to ongoing medical issues can be challenging. Nonetheless, the federal government offers a Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to citizens.
What Are Some Common Types of Vaccination Injuries?
It is perfectly normal to experience some minor soreness around the vaccine injection site. However, vaccines should not cause significant harm. If you or a loved one has experienced pain, loss of body functions or even death, you should talk to an experienced Allentown vaccination injury lawyer.
Vasovagal Syncope
Vasovagal syncope, a type of fainting, is most common in adolescents after a vaccination. Generally, the cause is the pain and stress associated with receiving the injection. This condition only tends to be problematic when a separate injury happens. For example, a patient in Allentown that doesn’t receive assistance could fall and break a bone on a hard surface.
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)
ITP is a rare condition that can happen after vaccinating patients in Allentown. One study suggests it occurs in 1 per 22,300 doses of the MMR vaccine. Some of the symptoms you may recognize in yourself or a loved one include:
- Bloody stools or urine
- Nose bleeds or bleeding from the gums
- Small purplish or red spots on the skin
Vaccination-Related Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder injuries may occur due to how Allentown, PA health professionals administer the vaccine. Alternatively, the contents of the vaccine can cause harm.
Symptoms may range from ongoing pain at the injection site to a complete loss of muscle movement in the arm. While often temporary, vaccination-related shoulder injuries may be permanent.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Research has linked Guillain-Barre syndrome to different types of vaccines, one of which is the annual flu shot. The condition happens when the immune system attacks itself, causing damage to nerve cells.
While the symptoms vary, they often include paralysis and muscular weakness. These issues typically resolve within a few weeks. But, Guillain-Barre syndrome may cause permanent nerve damage. This injury may result in loss of motion, paralysis, and other ongoing complications.
Anaphylaxis
Allentown healthcare professionals should check for known patient allergies. If a vaccine recipient happens to be allergic to the ingredients in the vaccine, the injection may cause a reaction. Symptoms may include hives, fevers, fainting, shortness of breath, and anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that is potentially life-threatening. Regrettably, an individual may not realize they have an allergy until after receiving the vaccination.
Encephalitis
Encephalitis sometimes happens when there is an infection in the body. It can also be part of the body’s response to an infection. This condition results in swelling of brain tissue.
Some common symptoms of encephalitis are pain, fever, headaches, fatigue, and weakness. While these problems may resolve in a few weeks, doctors must track this potentially life-threatening condition.
Myelitis
While encephalitis is swelling of the brain, myelitis involves spinal cord inflammation. Nonetheless, doctors and scientists do not completely understand the causes of myelitis.
Still, some patients have developed spinal cord inflammation after vaccine injection. Swelling around the spinal cord may cause a variety of complications. Symptoms may include paralysis, pain and loss of muscular control.
What Are Some of the Vaccines, Conditions, and Injuries Covered by Law?
Patients in Allentown that suffer an injury will want to check for compensation options through the HRSA. In particular, they need to consult the most recent Vaccine Injury Table. Common examples of how this process may happen for you are in the subsequent sections.
Pneumococcal Vaccine
The Immunization Action Coalition reports that 400,000 people become hospitalized with pneumococcal pneumonia annually. It has profoundly uncomfortable symptoms and a fatality rate of 5% – 7%. There are two types of injuries associated with vaccination that the federal government will compensate for:
- The onset of vasovagal syncope within 1 hour of receiving the injection
- Shoulder injury caused by the administration of the vaccine within 48 hours
Hepatitis A Vaccine
Hepatitis A is a serious disease that can cause liver damage and other discomforting symptoms. An outbreak in January 2022 resulted in a state health advisory. Furthermore, a case where a restaurant worker contracted it made the news on WFMZ in Allentown. The vaccine is safe, well-tested, and only has a couple of common injuries associated with receiving an injection.
Tdap Vaccine
The Tdap vaccine works to prevent three severe diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. The earliest a child in Allentown can receive the vaccine is seven years old. If any of the following apply to their medical history, they should inform doctors to avoid significant injuries:
- Seizures
- Severe pain or swelling
- Allergic reaction to vaccination
What Is the Legal Process for a Vaccination Injury?
Even if the symptoms you experienced after your vaccine are not in the above list, you may still have a vaccination injury.
If you have sustained an injury from a vaccination in Allentown, Pennsylvania, you should seek immediate medical attention. You should also seek a legal opinion as quickly as possible. A vaccine-related injury can result in extreme consequences that interfere with your life. Accordingly, you may be able to pursue financial compensation.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Hiring a qualified Allentown legal professional can help determine if you qualify for compensation.
A lawyer can also explain your other legal options. For example, you could file a lawsuit against the vaccine manufacturer. In other cases, you may sue the healthcare professional who administered the vaccine.
The claims process is very complex. If you do not properly assert your claim, you may receive a denial and jeopardize your odds of receiving compensation. Depending on the circumstances, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania will make this determination.
Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer In Allentown, Pennsylvania
The purpose of a vaccine is to improve your quality of life by keeping you healthy. Unfortunately, if you suffer an injury after a vaccination, your life may never be the same again.
While you may be able to receive financial compensation for your vaccine injury, the process is not easy. Therefore, hiring an experienced Allentown, PA vaccine injury attorney is essential. It will greatly impact the quality of assistance and settlement you may receive.
If you are looking to hire a vaccination injury lawyer, we are here for you. We can even help you connect with an attorney across Pennsylvania state lines.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!
